Any Muddy Bottom

For centuries, Somerset depended on its harbours and rivers as its lifeblood. This is the story of the county's ports, pills and waterways - the unique vessels and the skilled men that used them, the cargoes they carried and the day-to-day practicalities of their lives. Over 2,000 years of history is explored in this illustrated volume, from the earliest waterborne activity right up to the present day and the enduring preservation, restoration and new-build legacy. Encompassing the whole of the Somerset coast, with detailed explorations of the ports, the vessels and their owners, skippers and crews, and the evolution of the inland distribution process, Any Muddy Bottom presents a comprehensive and vivid portrait of the county's remarkable shipping heritage.

GEOFF BODY made his start with LNER in 1945, at the age of 16, and left thirty-one years later, having risen to senior officer positions within the railways, Freightliners and Pickfords Tank Haulage. He wrote widely about railways and canals throughout his retirement, including a number of articles and books, counting Railway Oddities and Signal Box Coming up, Sir! among them.